Scout
07-20-2005, 11:50 AM
For first time, league puts steroids to test
By John Glennon, The (Nashville) Tennessean
Most NHL players will say they don't think steroids are a problem in hockey.
So reports last week out of Canada that the tentative collective-bargaining agreement will contain a stiff new performance-enhancing drug-testing policy didn't seem to bother players.
"Maybe I'm oblivious, but I've seen a lot of hockey players over the years and most of them are not real big guys," Nashville Predators goaltender Chris Mason said. "So personally, maybe there's the odd guy that might be a user, but I would think it would be a small percentage."
The Canadian Press and Rogers Sportsnet network reported that the NHL's Performance Enhancing Substances Program will see players suspended 20 games for a first-time offense, 60 games for a second offense and kicked out of the league for a third violation.
It would mark a first for the NHL, which has had no previous performance-enhancing drug-testing policy. Testing had only been done on players who had entered the league's substance-abuse program.
The CBA details will become official later this week, assuming the deal is ratified by the players' association on Thursday and the board of governors on Friday.
Predators forward Vladimir Orszagh, who has spent two professional seasons in Europe, said anyone who has played overseas is used to strict drug testing.
"In Europe you're not just tested for steroids, but everything," Orszagh said. "You can't even take an Advil without talking to team doctors. And (the drug testers) can come to check you anytime ? so it wouldn't be anything new for me."
Orszagh supports such testing in the NHL.
"Some people don't realize things like steroids might help in the short term, but they'd really hurt in the long run," he said. "You have a life after hockey, so it's for your own protection."
NHL players were tested heading into the last two Olympics ? 1998 in Nagano, Japan, and 2002 in Salt Lake City ? and nothing showed up. Vancouver Canucks defenseman Mattias Ohlund did test positive for the banned diuretic acetazolamide in 2001, but he was cleared because it was in medicine he was prescribed to relieve pressure from several eye operations.
Two Eastern European players were ejected from the recent world championships in Austria for testing positive for steroids, but neither had ties to the NHL.
Mason figures testing would probably benefit the league, in terms of public relations as well as the health of players.
"If you want to make sure it stays out, clamp down on it like they do in other sports," Mason said. "Why not have testing? It's not going to hurt anything."
Scout
By John Glennon, The (Nashville) Tennessean
Most NHL players will say they don't think steroids are a problem in hockey.
So reports last week out of Canada that the tentative collective-bargaining agreement will contain a stiff new performance-enhancing drug-testing policy didn't seem to bother players.
"Maybe I'm oblivious, but I've seen a lot of hockey players over the years and most of them are not real big guys," Nashville Predators goaltender Chris Mason said. "So personally, maybe there's the odd guy that might be a user, but I would think it would be a small percentage."
The Canadian Press and Rogers Sportsnet network reported that the NHL's Performance Enhancing Substances Program will see players suspended 20 games for a first-time offense, 60 games for a second offense and kicked out of the league for a third violation.
It would mark a first for the NHL, which has had no previous performance-enhancing drug-testing policy. Testing had only been done on players who had entered the league's substance-abuse program.
The CBA details will become official later this week, assuming the deal is ratified by the players' association on Thursday and the board of governors on Friday.
Predators forward Vladimir Orszagh, who has spent two professional seasons in Europe, said anyone who has played overseas is used to strict drug testing.
"In Europe you're not just tested for steroids, but everything," Orszagh said. "You can't even take an Advil without talking to team doctors. And (the drug testers) can come to check you anytime ? so it wouldn't be anything new for me."
Orszagh supports such testing in the NHL.
"Some people don't realize things like steroids might help in the short term, but they'd really hurt in the long run," he said. "You have a life after hockey, so it's for your own protection."
NHL players were tested heading into the last two Olympics ? 1998 in Nagano, Japan, and 2002 in Salt Lake City ? and nothing showed up. Vancouver Canucks defenseman Mattias Ohlund did test positive for the banned diuretic acetazolamide in 2001, but he was cleared because it was in medicine he was prescribed to relieve pressure from several eye operations.
Two Eastern European players were ejected from the recent world championships in Austria for testing positive for steroids, but neither had ties to the NHL.
Mason figures testing would probably benefit the league, in terms of public relations as well as the health of players.
"If you want to make sure it stays out, clamp down on it like they do in other sports," Mason said. "Why not have testing? It's not going to hurt anything."
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